I purchased my Sonic Frontiers SFCD-1 player about 6 months ago. From the start it sounded quite good, a huge leap over my former ca. 1987 Phillips mid-level player. The Sonic Frontiers player is musical and involving. I sometimes forget I am listening to CD (I remain a vinyl fan). I liked the Meredian player, then a 508.20, but wanted HDCD capability. It does make a positive difference. Check out recent Daniel Lanois produced cd's like the Emmy Lou Harris "Wrecking Ball" for a sense on how involving proper use of HDCD can be. I had been using older Bryston electronics when I purchased the player but upgraded to a YBA 2 combination (used). The SFCD-1 just sounded better. The strengths of the player are: a musical rightness, a big soundstage, and excellent tonality. Weaknesses are minor, but could include, a slightly less defined sense of the placement of indiviual instruments (it favours the ensemble over the particular), and harsh cd's sound, well, harsh. I still have the stock Sovtek rectifier tubes, but plan to upgrade. Any advice on tubes to try would be appeciated

Warmth, Openness, texture

Noisy drawer

I have had my Sonic Frontier SFCD-1 for over 2 years now, it is partnered with Audible Illusion 3A pre, CJ Premier11A(EL34) power into Pro-Ac2.5 and Harbeth LS3/5A speaker. It is a wonderful product, warm, natural with good body and openness. I have replaced the stock tubes with NOS Siemens CCA and tried quite a few expensive power cords (Cardas, Syergyic Research, Apex etc). Whilst there has been some small improvements one way or the other , the stock cord seem to give a good balance of virtues and you can save some money unless you have a good suggestion. Two complaints- the drawer is noisy and I had a track skipping problem. The latter was fixed after a new Philips12.4 drive was brought from Sonic Frontier at US$250. Two years is a longer time in the digital market, but I have not heard anything that can really better it at this price point and I would not be looking for an upgrade until the new CD format comes along.

Similar Products Used:

PS Audio

good and deep staging and imaging, warm tone, detailed sound

transport mechanism non-functioning
nosiy loader

I had bought the SFCD-1 for around 3 years, notwithstanding the very excellent performance in every aspect (it has wonderful warmth in tone and sound, very detailed manifestiation of sound and deep and full-of-air staging and imaging), one thing totallyt intolerable to me (I wonder whether it only to me only or not) is that within this 3 years, I need to have the tranpsort mechanism (Philips CDM12.4) replaced for 4 times (the last time at my own expense of around US$300 and the longest time that the tranport functions properlly is around 8 months ). I guess that there much be some very fundamental flaw or weakness in the transport. I do not want to advice anybody to avoid it as it sounds really great but given its price, how you much be a very patient and well off guy if you consider to go for it.